The portable power fission generator was designed with mobility and ease of use in mind. It has a distinct weight advantage over similar products and is small enough to be carried on a tool belt. Fission generators are also cheap and readily available, making them indispensable to tradesmen throughout the galaxy who use them to power tools, temporarily power small buildings where a reliable power source may not exist, or as a backup power supply in case of emergencies. In the hands of heavy weapon crews, fission generators can be used to power stand-alone turrets or gunnery stations, and they are essential when crafting new technologies like lightsabers.

Fission generators, however, are not devoid of drawbacks or danger. Being a nuclear process, fission produces radioactive waste which is difficult to dispose of properly. Although it takes less energy to split two atoms with fission than it does to fuse two atoms, the process is less stable and less efficient at harnessing useable energy. Furthermore, there is an increased risk of overloading a generator and causing it to explode if they are improperly maintained or used for extended periods of time. This, combined with growing fears of radiation poisoning and environmental contamination, has led watch-dog groups to lobby extensively against their use on many worlds throughout the galaxy.